ChemiClean vs Red Slime FIGHT!

So, after having my cyano outbreak for about 3-4 weeks or so, I'm just sick and tired of it. It seemed to be getting better initially but it's always returning within a day, spreading to the rocks still and other areas of the sandbed.

Here is what I've done to help combat it:

- began rinsing my frozen food in RO/DI water
- only use RO/DI water for WC/top offs
- bulbs are only 2-3 months old
- cut back feeding to one cube every other day
- cut back light cycle from 10hrs to 6-7hrs
- thoroughly cleaned skimmer and Koralias
- got new Koralias with higher gph to help circulation
- I run a phosban reactor normally so PO4 isn't an issue
- siphoned out as much as I could during water changes and also daily

Other than doing a 2-3 day blackout, am I missing anything I should be trying before I dose with ChemiClean? Will a 2-3 day blackout really kill it all?

Ultimately I need to know that cyano is something that can just "happen" to any SW tank and not that I'm doomed to get it forever. If I have taken all the steps to rectify it, why is it not getting better?

If anyone's used ChemiClean, do I need to add an airstone if I just run a skimmer on my tank? Also, would a 5g water change be enough after the 48hr initial dose (it recommends 20% WC)?

I'm not crazy about using chemicals, but I just am really annoyed at this red slime and don't understand why it's not gotten better over the past 3 weeks.

Any input would be great,
Thanks,

Joe

 

My 37 gallon had some cyano. Here's what I did and the slime left after about a month (you've already done some of these, I'm just listing what I did): During the daylight hours I put a sheet over the tank to block out all light. At night I turned the light on for 3 hours or so. I don't have coral, so I could do that. I cut back on feeding. Did weekly water changes, including siphoning cyano. I added SeaChem Purigen filter media to my HOB filter. I added more flow with a Koralia powerhead.

Before using chemicals, I would try some filter media.

After about a month mine just disappeared! I know it's frustrating, but don't give up just yet.

 

Thx KC, I am running Chemi Pure Elite in my reactor, is the Pungen for PO4? The CPE has GFO in it that lowers my PO4 so I'm at a loss. I may try a blackout but am not sure if it will affect my corals, hmmmmm

 

The Purigen is for nitrates. I was having a nitrate problem, and that's when my cyano started. The Purigen took about 3 weeks before it had an effect on my nitrate levels, but then it dropped them in half! As well as my weekly water changes.

 

i had a REALLY bad outbrake of cyano for a while what worked for me is i just upped my flow and after a week it all went away and my rocks sand and glass are all pretty again

cyano is a PITA good luck on the fight

 

chemiclean is not a solution to the issue but it will hault the problem for awhile. when using make sure u turn off the skimmer. it will go nuts and suck up the chemiclean out of the system

otherwise you are on the right track.

 

The thing is I've tried everything but a black out to rectify the source but I'm not noticing any improvement with it. I don't believe it's my Nitrate, I have a 5-10ppm of it and highly doubt that is feeding it this much.

It's so annoying to come home after a long day of work to see it back, esp since I am trying to take all the right steps to erradicate it.

Is it possible this will go on for months/yeras if I keep doing the same things? I feel like I'm just running in place somewhat with it.

 

You nitrate could be higher than you think, because when the cyano is using the nitrate to feed on, it doesn't show up in your test results. Does that make sense? Like in my 90 gallon I have quite a bit of green algae, but my nitrate tests at 0ppm.

 

mojoe the chances are that your params got to a high enough point to grow this plague. and now that is has established itself in your tank it doesnt take much to continue growing even when you are taking necessary measures to eradicate. it will take some time for the system to get rid of it completely.

tools like chemiclean and manual removal(syphon) are best.

instead of a blackout would you consider using cheato to blaket the cyano. take a ball of cheato and flatten it out into a cheato blaket and cover the cyano with it.the idea is that the chaeto will suck up the available nutrients befor the cyano does. use lr rubble to wheigh it down so it doesnt blow in the current.

 

Thanks for the input, I would def consider blanketing this red devil with cheato.

Looking back I think I know what happened. I bought a blue linkia because my gf "wanted" it. Of course they are very tough to keep as we don't know exactly what they eat. It was fine for about 6 days, on the 7th day it went behind a rock, it stayed there for about 3 days. Basically it then expelled it's insides and died and sat there for at least a full day. My skimmer went nuts that day and my gf pulled it out, smelled like death literally . I tested params, but didn't test NA that day, AM was fine but that was the catalyst I think to this cyano.

Does that make sense or sound like it was the jumpstart?